May 10, 2026 10:20am IST
Priyanka Chopra Jonas Honored With Global Vanguard Award At Gold Gala: ‘I am still a student of life’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Priyanka Chopra Jonas added another global honor to her growing list of achievements as she was celebrated at the fifth Gold Gala alongside Jet Li and Simu Liu at an event held in Los Angeles today.
Hosted by Gold House, a non-profit, member-driven collective, the annual gala celebrates Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders across industries. Priyanka received the prestigious Global Vanguard Honor, a recognition reserved for individuals shaping cross-cultural narratives and global representation. Jet Li and Simu Liu were honored with the Gold Legend Honor and Gold Mogul Honor, respectively. Charles Melton, Eileen Gu and Revathi Advaithi were also among the honourees.
The evening, under the theme “A New Gold World,” featured appearances and speeches by EJAE, Theresia Gouw, HUMAN MADE, Tejasvi Manoj, Jen Lee and Brett Bolton.
Bowen Yang opened the gala with a monologue, while Deli Boys stars Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh and Poorna Jagannathan kicked off the second half of the evening. Hayley Kiyoko also performed at the gala.
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Over the past two decades, Priyanka Chopra Jonas has built a career that spans both Indian and international entertainment. From becoming the first South Asian actor to headline an American network drama with Quantico to leading global projects such as Citadel, she has steadily expanded the presence of South Asian talent in mainstream global entertainment.
Working across entertainment, fashion, business and advocacy, Priyanka’s 25-year career has connected Hindi cinema and Hollywood through a wide range of film and television projects. Through her production banner Purple Pebble Pictures, she has also backed regional and emerging voices in storytelling, earning recognition on platforms including TIME 100 and Forbes’ Most Powerful Women lists.
For the mega occasion, Priyanka chose to spotlight Indian craftsmanship through a custom couture gown by Amit Aggarwal in collaboration with Ami Patel. The outfit was created using a two-decade-old Chikankari sari, reworked into a contemporary silhouette that blended traditional embroidery with structured couture elements. Over six weeks, artisans hand-embroidered the textile before it was reimagined with Amit Aggarwal’s signature sculptural detailing and layered design aesthetic. Priyanka completed the look with a necklace from Bvlgari.
The ensemble highlighted Indian textiles and craftsmanship, which reflected Priyanka’s continued support for homegrown artistry on international platforms.
Talking exclusively to Variety India, Priyanka says, “Twenty-five years sounds like a whole lifetime, and I think it was for me because I was so young when I started. I was 18 when I started... I feel like I am still learning, I am still a student of life. I feel just feel very honored to be commemorated by my own people. That’s pretty rad.”
Sharing her message for those girls who look at her journey as inspiration, she shares, “Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself because no one else will. You have to.”
Priyanka, who began her showbiz journey after being crowned Miss World 2000, made her acting debut with the Tamil film “Thamizhan” (20020 before starring in the Hindi film “Andaaz” in 2003. She went on to feature in several hit films, including “Mujhse Shaadi Karogi,” “Bluffmaster!,” “Don,” “Fashion,” “Barfi!” and “Bajirao Mastani” before exploring international projects. Her Hollywood acting career took off with the series “Quantico,” in which she played an FBI agent. Since then, she has been part of projects such as “Baywatch,” “The White Tiger,” “Cotadel,” “Heads of State” and “The Bluff.” She has also flexed her muscles as a producer with films such as “The White Tiger,” “Anuja,” “Paani” and “The Bluff,” among others.
Among her prominent upcoming films is “Varanasi,” directed by SS Rajamouli, which sees her alongside Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran. On the Hollywood front, she will headline the survival thriller “Reset” with Orlando Bloom.
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